NUNICA -- A family with century-old roots in Ottawa County is reeling after a shocking murder-suicide claimed a beloved relative, shot over the weekend by a man she divorced more than two decades ago, police said.

The body of Betty Reedy, 58, was found around 1 p.m. Sunday at her home at 18630 104th Ave., just north of Nunica. A teacher's assistant in Muskegon's Orchard View Schools district, she died of multiple bullet wounds from a handgun, which was recovered at the scene, authorities said.

An hour later, police said Betty's ex-husband, Albert Reedy, 67, was found dead with a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the chest, outside his camper at 9122 State Road in Polkton Township.

What would lead a man who lived just miles down the road from his ex-wife of 23 years to suddenly take both their lives? It's a question that baffles Betty Reedy's family and investigators.

"We haven't uncovered anything that would lead to any causation," Ottawa County sheriff's Lt. Mark Bennett said.

Albert Reedy built a wooden shack on a friend's property at the intersection of State Road and 92nd Avenue. He lived in a camper there for some time, Bennett said.

Neither of the Reedys had a criminal record, and there was no court evidence to indicate ongoing strife after the divorce, Bennett said. The two had a grown son and two grandchildren.

"I was totally surprised when I heard that he was involved," said Kent VanWert, 40, of Crockery Township.

VanWert and the woman he called his "Aunt Betty" were neighbors for years on 104th Avenue. The country road is home to multiple family members on Betty's side, sprung from the Englert family's century-old farm at the corner of 104th and Wilson Street.

"He was a free spirit for sure," VanWert said of Albert Reedy. He said the couple hitchhiked to Alaska during their marriage, back in the "better days."

VanWert said he asked Albert Reedy -- described as a big fellow who wore bib overalls and grew a white beard -- why he didn't come by more often, having bumped into the man about a year ago at the Nunica Bar.

"He said he didn't come around here because of her," he said.

Betty Reedy worked for many years at a factory in Coopersville before going back to school for a teacher's aide certification. For the past decade, she used it to help physically and mentally disabled children in Muskegon County's Orchard View Schools.

Betty Reddy was a teacher's assistant since 1998 at Orchard View Public Schools and had worked with elementary school students. School Superintendent Pat Walstra said Betty Reddy was an outstanding employee and was known for working closely with students and staff.

"Betty Reddy, employed by Orchard View Schools since 1998 as a teacher assistant, worked closely with children in the district and touched the lives of all of those around her," she said. "She made a difference not only to the students she came in contact with but also."

She was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Coopersville, which is less than a mile from Albert Reedy's camper.

Betty Reedy's sister, Shirley Erickson, who spoke to her daily, said she was not aware of any regular contact between Betty and her ex-husband.

"She was very cordial," said neighbor Teresa Merkins, 50. "I was a wreck last night ... it's hard to sink in."

Betty Reedy was an avid collector of knickknacks, coins and glassware and was a regular at estate auctions and sales, said Gerald Tripp, 72, of Nunica.

Tripp, who saw Betty Reedy just days ago, said she once confided in his wife, Vicky, that "she'd taken care of (Reedy)" after the divorce because the man was ill.

Todd Merkins, Teresa Merkins' stepson, described Albert Reedy as "different," having an "odd quirkiness" about him.

"He used to come up to our softball games," said Merkins, 40. "He always had his dog with him."

A funeral Mass for Betty Reedy is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Michael's Church.